Page 95 of Paths

“I’ve got her covered,” Grady announces. “He knows she lives and works here, along with a second job at a nearby senior center. I’ll get you the address before you leave.”

Agent Gordon gives me his business card. “You took quite a fall, we saw it on the film. It’s good to see you’re okay. I’ll be in touch.”

“Thank you.” I stand and Grady gives him the information he needs. When he finally leaves, I turn to Grady. “This has to be over soon.”

“It will be.” Grady takes my hand and pulls me to the stairs.

When we get to the main tasting room, Mary, Bev, Addy, Evan, Van, and even Morris, are crowded around the bar. When we get closer I see what they’re all looking at. The crowd parts and a sleepy but happy Clara is sitting there holding a bundle of pink blankets with baby Kate peeking out the top.

“Awwww,” I drawl and get closer. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here to visit you in the hospital. Did you just get home?”

Clara smiles. “Yesterday. The hospital is so much more relaxing than my house. I tried to fake complications so I could stay longer, but they were on to me and kicked us out.”

Everyone laughs, and after being around her boys at the Christmas party, I don’t blame her for trying to spend extra time in the hospital.

“She’s perfect.” Jack beams as he looks down at his newborn before announcing, “I think we’re done having kids.”

Clara more than enthusiastically agrees. “Oh, we’re done. You’re making an appointment to get snipped, sooner rather than later.” Little Kate stretches, arching as she starts to wiggle. “We’d better get going. We left the boys at home with my parents and she’ll be ready to eat soon.”

We all say our goodbyes after they pack up the baby and all her necessities. After hanging out most of the morning with Grady’s sisters, then eating a late lunch with Grady in the tasting room, followed by my first ever interrogation by the FBI, the day has flown.

I guess Grady is done hanging out, because he takes my hand and we leave, following Clara and Jack out the door. He turns back to me and his face is serious when he says, “I have something I want to show you.”

When he starts driving toward the exit of the vineyard, I ask, “Where are we going?”

Grady fists his steering wheel, but doesn’t look at me as he turns left onto the two-lane highway. “Not far.”

He didn’t lie. We barely drive a half-mile when he turns onto another lane which is surrounded by a slatted white fence. We’re hardly off the road when Grady approaches a security gate and rolls down his window to punch in a code.

“Um, where are we?”

He looks back to me and smirks. “Across the street.”

I narrow my eyes instantly. “I know that.”

The gates open in front of us and Grady drives through rolling pastures, mixed with patches of woods and tree lines scattered about. Even though everything is dormant and brown, I imagine how pretty it would be lush and green, or better yet, colorful in the fall. As we come up a hill, a large home sits at the top. It’s not a typical Virginia colonial. It’s decorated in stone with crisp white trim to match the slatted fence surrounding the property, dark gray siding, and a dark stained front door and shutters.

“Seriously, Grady.” The suspense is wearing on me. “Are we here to visit someone?”

He ignores me, turns off the engine, and climbs out of the SUV. I follow suit, because I’m curious, but I also don’t like him ignoring me.

He doesn’t wait, but jogs up the steps ahead of me and goes straight to the front door.

“Grady,” I call for him again, but he’s now at the door handle and pressing more buttons on an electronic lock.

Finally, he turns to me as he opens the door and gestures for me to enter first.

I stand where I am and demand, “What’s going on?”

He still says nothing and reaches for my hand, pulling me through the threshold.

What I find is stunning.

And empty.

I take a few steps, barely glancing at what would be an office with French doors, flanked by a formal dining room across from it. I keep walking, the heels of my boots echoing on the dark hardwoods through the vast, empty space. I move until there’s nowhere to go because I’ve reached the floor to ceiling windows overlooking the property that appears to go on forever. The way the home is situated on the rolling hills, there’s no other structure or buildings in sight besides the enormous barns that match the exterior of the house we’re standing in. Off the back of the house is a stone patio, and down another few steps, is an inground pool covered for winter.

Thinking I know exactly what’s going on here, I turn slowly, vaguely taking in the spacious family room with stone fireplace that’s open to an oversized kitchen. My eyes land on Grady standing in the center of the room. His stance is wide and his arms are crossed. But unlike me, who’s taking in the details of our surroundings, his focus is solely on me.

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